The French Inhaler
"The French Inhaler" is a Warren Zevon song, written by Warren Zevon, off his 1976 self-titled album. About "The French Inhaler" is mainly intended as a kiss-off to "Tule" Livingston. The over-all bitter tone of the song was lyrically modeled after when Zevon found out about Livingston's post-breakup meeting with another musician. Jordan Zevon has described the lyrics of the song as "French Inhaler is Zevon's way of saying 'fuck you' to my mom after she slept with another guy ... as much as it pains me that it's about my mother, it is the greatest ex-girlfriend 'fuck you' song of all time." He also commented that "despite the subject matter, my mom would play that song to me after a couple of glasses of wine and laugh and say: 'Isn't that brilliant?' She knew he was a genius". She said, "So long, Norman." At the conclusion of the song, Zevon's lyrics also incorporate the furor surrounding Norman Mailer's exploitive 1973 Marilyn Monroe biography. Music The song is in the key of D major. There are also short points where the song is more prominently heard in D major's relative key of B minor (specifically at "we both came down with an acute case"). The song's most prominent instrument is the piano, yet also features short, mildly distorted guitar fills throughout parts of the song. This album version's run time is 3 minutes and 49 seconds long. Lyrics How're you going to make your way in the world, woman When you weren't cut out for working When your fingers are slender and frail How're you going to get around In this sleazy bedroom town If you don't put yourself up for sale Where will you go with your scarves and your miracles Who's gonna know who you are Drugs and wine and flattering light You must try it again till you get it right Maybe you'll end up with someone different every night All these people with no home to go home to They'd all like to spend the night with you Maybe I would, too But tell me How're you going to make your way in the world, woman When you weren't cut out for working And you just can't concentrate And you always show up late You said you were an actress Yes, I believe you are I thought you'd be a star So I drank up all the money, Yes, I drank up all the money, With these phonies in this Hollywood bar, These friends of mine in this Hollywood bar Loneliness and frustration We both came down with an acute case And when the lights came up at two I caught a glimpse of you And your face looked like something Death brought with him in his suitcase Your pretty face It looked so wasted Another pretty face Devastated The French Inhaler He stamped and mailed her "So long, Norman" She said, "So long, Norman" Personnel Warren Zevon - Piano, Vocals Waddy Wachtel - Guitar Bob Glaub - Bass Larry Zack - Drums The Sid Sharp Strings Glen Frey & Don Henley - Harmonies External Links *Lyric of the Week: Warren Zevon, "The French Inhaler" See Also *''Warren Zevon'' *''Learning to Flinch'' *''I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)'' *''Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon'' *''Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings'' *''The Warren Zevon Guitar Songbook'' Category:Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings Tracks Category:Featured media Category:Warren Zevon Songs Category:Warren Zevon Tracks